Spent 45 minutes trying to get my tent poles sorted on a windy night

Was setting up alone at a site near Moab last month and that first pole kept snapping out of the grommet every time I turned around. Any tips for keeping them steady when the wind kicks up like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_angela25d ago

Stand facing into the wind when you slide the poles into the grommets so the pressure pushes them home instead of ripping them out. I started using a small rubber band to loop around the pole tip and grommet together just for that first tricky one. Once the tent body is weighted down with your pack or some rocks, the rest usually goes smoother.

luna55025d ago

The rubber band trick is genius actually, I've been using a small hair tie for that same purpose and it saves so much frustration. Once you get that first pole seated right, the whole tension system starts working with you instead of fighting you. I also started pre-bending my poles slightly in the opposite direction before sliding them in, seems to take some of the springy fight out of them. Weighting down the corners with your gear bag early makes a huge difference too, stops the whole thing from dancing around when you're trying to get the last pole in.